[thelist] how secure to store credit cards

[.jeff]

jon,

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> From: Jon Hall
>
> You dont have to keep the card number. You can place a
> hold for the amount of the order on the card, and then
> push the transaction through when the order ships. I
> forget the terminology, [...]
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i think it's called an authorization.

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> Also, "shipped" is sort of a relative term. If the items
> have been verified in stock, and the order has been sent
> to the shipping department, it might be considered
> shipped depending on who you are talking to.  Generally
> a bank is not going to get on the merchant's case about
> this unless it's a new merchant account.
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the bank isn't the one that makes the determination or enforces the "no
charge until shipped" requirement.  this is strictly a legal matter as
defined by mail order laws.  it differs from state to state, but in it's
simplest form it basically boils down to "you can't charge the card until
the merchandise has been handed to a carrier outside of your influence with
the purpose of delivery to the buyer".  there are a number of things you can
do to protect yourself beforehand, like getting an authorization or hold on
an amount and then pushing that transaction through once the item is out of
your hands.  these laws aren't put in place with the purpose of making the
lives of mail and internet order business owners difficult -- it's to
protect the consumer from unscrupulous mail and internet order "business"
people.

.jeff

http://evolt.org/
jeff at members.evolt.org
http://members.evolt.org/jeff/